Constable’s daughter ranks 40; 18 from state crack UPSC
Times of India | 7 March 2026
Kolkata: At least 18 candidates from the state have cracked the UPSC examinations this year. Of them, 11 are from the govt-run study centre, Satyendra Nath Tagore Civil Services Study Centre (SNTCSSC).
Among the success stories is Diksha Rai (AIR-40), daughter of a head constable in the RPF. Her father, Dharmendra Rai, is posted in Howrah. "This was my fifth attempt. It feels wonderful to have made it to such a decent rank (AIR-40)," Diksha, who is training in Delhi for Delhi Andaman and Nicobar Civil Services (DANCS), told TOI. The computer science graduate from Visva Bharati was born in Purulia's Adra. She did her schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Andal.
For Debojyoti Haldar (AIR-443), a doctor and 2021 graduate of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, it's also fifth attempt. "Though medical science is considered the noblest of all professions, UPSC offers diversity like no other. Also, ours is a family of social workers — my grandmother donated a land for a school that is still running in our ancestral village, Gopalnagar, in Bongaon. I think the background has drawn me to civil service," said the 29-year-old who has ranked third in the recently published 2023 WBCS results.
Jadavpur resident, South Pointer and JU engineer Vaishna Biswas (AIR-367) said: "I am not sure if I will take the service this time. I am fully into UPSC preparations and will appear next year to improve my rank."
The list also includes Akash Kumar Rai (AIR-279), Debabrata Pramanik (AIR-461) from Malda, S Nived Kumar (AIR-486), Juhi Das (AIR-649) and Kirti Chowdhury (AIR-760). The last three are from Kolkata. Moreover, Goutam Thakuri (AIR-432) and Anniela Sherpa (AIR-893) are Darjeeling residents. Thakuri of Bagdogra is already serving the Indian Revenue Service (IRS). Mohsina Bano (AIR-648), whose husband is an IPS officer from the Bengal cadre, has been coached by the state-run training school.
"Of the 28 candidates from our centre who cracked the interview, 11 have cleared the finals," SNTCSSC chairman Surajit Kar Purkayastha said on Friday. SNTCSSC, inaugurated by CM Mamata Banerjee in Jan 2014, has been increasingly showing strong results every year. Last year, 50% of Bengal's successful candidates hailed from this centre in Salt Lake.